Beyonce made her triumphant return to the stage Friday night with the first of four concerts at Revel Resort and Casino’s Ovation Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The performance was the first for the 30-year-old singer since giving birth to her daughter Blue Ivy Carter on January 7, and according to numerous accounts of those present at the show, she was her usual stunning self as People magazine’s “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” sang and danced her way through a 27-song setlist that included both a Donna Summer (“Naughty Girl”) and Whitney Houston (“I Will Always Love You”) cover.
(Technically I suppose “I Will Always Love you” is a Dolly Parton cover, but it was performed as a tribute to the late Ms. Houston.)
Here’s a wonderful description from USA Today’s Elysa Garnder:
The singer was all business — that is to say, warm and gracious, glamorous and relentless. Backed by an all-female band and a tireless posse of dancers and backup vocalists, Beyonce reasserted her unique pop persona; she was at once angel and seductress, cool diva and woman of the people.
Among the 5,500 adoring fans in attendance at the sold out show was Blue Ivy’s dad Jay-Z, who offered up his reaction after the show on Twitter:
“I’m gonna say this and then I’m gonna end mine.” BEYONCE is the best performer in the world. Period.
Here is the full set list:
1. End of Time
2. Love on Top
3. Get Me Bodied (Extended)
4. Baby Boy
5. Crazy In Love
6. Diva
7. Naughty Girl (Donna Summer tribute)
8. Party
9. Dance For You
10. Freakum Dress
11. I Care
12. Schoolin’ Life
13. 1+1
14. I Miss You
15. Resentment
16. If I Were A Boy
17. Ex- Factor
18. Flaws and All
19. Irreplaceable
20. Countdown
21. Jumpin’ Jumpin’
22. Run The World (Girls)
23. Why Don’t You Love Me
24. I Was Here
25. I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston tribute)
26. Halo
27. Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)
All of the photos in this post are from the Friday night, May 25 performance at Ovation Hall located in the Revel Resort and Casino. (Credit: GoldenEye / London Entertainment / Splash News)
UPDATE – Here are some additional photos from the show shared on Twitter by @BeyonceLite:
